SEALED
Appointment Only
IMPRESSIONS
AFTERCARE FOR YOUR NEW TATTOO
S
778-837-4657
[email protected]
www.SealedImpressions.com
505 – 625 Fifth Ave, New Westminster, BC, V3M-1X4
Now, you have your fresh new tattoo, and you want to take good care of it!
Right After:
 Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason, to keep air-borne bacteria from
invading your wound.
 An open flesh wound is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection.
 Leave the bandage/saran wrap until you get home to wash it with lukewarm water and mild soap.
FACT: Saran wrap or kinds of plastic is extremely detrimental to a tattoo because it suffocates your new tattoo, so
it should be removed immediately when you get home.
DO NOT REBANDANGE.
Wash and Treat:
 After you remove the bandage/saran wrap, you will want to wash your tattoo; use lukewarm water and mild,
liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap.
 Gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma to completely clean the area.
 Do not use a washcloth or anything abrasive, your fingers are the best in this case. (MAKE SURE YOU WASH
YOUR HANDS FIRST!)
FACT: If your tattoo feels slimy and slippery, you have probably been oozing plasma. The plasma may attract
unwanted material to stick to your tattoo which is unclean or it may dry and leave crusties that may become very
itchy. Try to gently remove this because we need this area to be properly cleaned, dried and with a layer of
ointment/lotion.
 Then pat (do not rub) the area with a CLEAN towel or paper towel to get it completely dry.
 Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment/lotion.
 A&D vitamin enriched ointment
 Tattoo aftercare ointment/lotions
 Petroleum-free ointment/lotion
 Non-fragrance, no dye, hyper-sensitive lotion
FACT: Do not use Neosporin/Polysporin/Vaseline (petroleum). This is a wonderful product for cuts and scrapes, but
not for tattoos. Some people can have an allergic reaction to the Neosporin, which causes little red bumps. When
the bumps go away, so does the ink, and you end up with a polka-dotted tattoo. These products also contain
petroleum jelly which actually can pull the color out of the tattoo, and doesn't allow air to pass through. Healing
tattoo's need air!
INFO: Coconut oil: some people use coconut oil but there is a small percentage where the healing tattoo can
become more faded/smudgy looking. Please don’t take this risk.
Specialty Products, ointments, and Lotions:
 Ointment (A&D vitamin enriched, can be petroleum-free) for the first 3-5 days, used as a protective shield for
your new open wound, then after use lotion or
 You can use a specialty product such as Tattoo Goo or H2Ocean. (It is not necessary)
 You can use lotion whenever needed, to keep the skin soft and/or help when itchy
 Non-fragrance, no dye, hyper-sensitive lotion
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Bathing, Showering, Hot Tubs, and Swimming:
 Showers are fine; it's OKAY to get your tattoo wet - just don't soak it.
 If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, just remove it quickly with water.
 Submerging your tattoo in a bath, hot tub, sauna, Jacuzzi or going swimming can cause serious damage, so
you'll want to avoid those for 2-3 weeks.
 Swimming; whether it is a pool, fresh water or salt water, should be avoided.
FACT: Tattoos start to form scabs in the healing process and getting a scab wet for too long will softens it.
Therefore, with any pressure the soften scab will rub/fall off and so will your ink.
TIP: Remember to PAT your new tattoo dry after showers so you don’t rub off any soften scabs (plus ink).
Scabbing and Peeling:
 After a few days, you will notice some peeling and possibly a little scabbing.
 Do not rub or pick the area while it is healing. Loss of color and/or an infection could occur.
Don't pick and don't scratch!
 If the skin itches, slap it.
 If it is peeling, put lotion on it.
 If it is scabbing, just leave it alone.
Your tattoo is almost healed, and now is not the time to ruin it!
TIP: Do not apply ointment/lotion to a softened scab, wait for it to dry!
FACT: Your tattoo is healing which makes scabs become very itchy. However, if you scratch the scabs the ink will
come off with your scab.
TIP: When your tattoo is unbelievably itchy, this is very normal. The best thing to do is to lightly rub on lotion in a
circular motion, preferably with clean hands!
Protection from the Sun:
 New or old, you will always want to protect your tattoo from the sun's ultraviolet rays. These can fade and
damage a tattoo very fast.
 Protect your tattoo with a minimum of 30 SPF sunblock.
 Stay out of sunlight and tanning booths until tattoo is healed, at least 7-10 days.
Good to Know:
 Your tattoo should heal in about 2-5 weeks.
 Try not to over use ointments/lotions by the amount you put on or how often, you don’t want to soften the
scabs as previously discussed.
 Consult a physician if any signs or symptoms develop such as the following: redness at site, green/yellow
discharge, a foul smell, and/or fever.
Should you have any problems or questions contact me at:
Tera Gebauer
Phone: 778-837-4657 (call or text)
[email protected]
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